Iran FM Arrives in Romania on First Leg of East Europe Tour

Heading a politico-economic delegation, Zarif launched his three-nation tour of East European countries on Tuesday. He also plans to travel to Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

During his stay in Bucharest, the top Iranian diplomat is scheduled to meet top Romanian dignitaries including President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos and Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu.

He will also deliver a speech at a trade and financial forum as well as a conference on the fight against extremism and terrorism.

Zarif plans to visit the Palace of the Parliament, which is the seat of Romania’s Parliament in central Bucharest and is the second largest administrative building in the world after The Pentagon in the United States.

His visit to Bucharest is taking place in response to a three-day trip by his Romanian counterpart which started on February 29.

The Romanian foreign minister’s visit came as part of a series of visits by world leaders to Tehran after the implementation of a nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in July 2015.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia – plus Germany started to implement the JCPOA on January 16.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related bans imposed against Tehran.

The Iranian foreign minister paid an official visit to four North European countries of Poland, Finland, Sweden and Latvia in late May and early June.